Concert Reports

Yes

07/06/2013, Vina Robles Amphitheatre, Paso Robles

The iconic and Grammy-winning rock band YES Rocked Paso Robles with their triple header concert tour, which happened to be the inaugural performance at The Vina Robles Amphitheatre. Unveiling a true classic rock triple header by performing three of their classic albums in their entirety, all in one concert: 1971’s THE YES ALBUM, 1972’s CLOSE TO THE EDGE, and 1977’s GOING FOR THE ONE .Music audiences in Nevada, California and Colorado experienced the albums–each representing an important milestone in YES’ career which encompasses sales of close to 50 million albums worldwide–performed from beginning to end.

Call it a true classic rock triple header–and the quintessential live concert experience.

Due to overwhelming demand–including sold-out shows in Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco, Austin and Toronto–YES have added two new legs of dates to their triple-header concert tour. The new North American dates launched July 6 in Paso Robles, CA and include stops in Anaheim, CA, Las Vegas, NV, Atlanta, GA, Washington, DC and Montreal, CAN and wrap August 14 in Rosemont, IL. The in-progress tour marks the first time since 1973 that YES–bassist CHRIS SQUIRE, guitarist STEVE HOWE, drummer ALAN WHITE, keyboardist GEOFF DOWNES and singer JON DAVISON–have performed an album onstage in its entirety.

STEVE HOWE says, “These albums we all easily agreed on–they are complete works in themselves,” adding that several of the songs have rarely been performed live. “I believe the only song not performed in concert is ‘A Venture’ from The Yes Album,” says CHRIS SQUIRE. “And probably the most tricky of all the songs planned for this set is ‘Turn of the Century’ from the Going for the One album.” ALAN WHITE believes “This is a great opportunity to show the growth of YES in these different eras–and to relive the memories of these times.”

THE YES ALBUM is widely considered to be the band’s breakthrough album. Certified platinum, it features such signature songs as “Yours Is No Disgrace” and “I’ve Seen All Good People.” The band’s album CLOSE TO THE EDGE was on the U.S. charts for 32 weeks, peaking at #3. A Rolling Stone review, which features the epic suites “Close To The Edge” and “You And I,” noted, “Yes’ colors are subtle, almost imperceptible tints, but the main strokes are bold and thick, applied with sureness and natural instinct.” GOING FOR THE ONE, described by Allmusic.com as “perhaps the most overlooked item in the Yes catalog,” went gold, hit #8 on the U.S.chart and featured two singles, “Wonderous Stories” (which hit #6) and the title track (#24).

“I think the 12-inch album is alive and well as reinforced by the rising interest in the analog format,” says SQUIRE when asked about the album format in the singles-driven digital age. The album, says HOWE, “has never totally gone away–there are those who completely understand.”

About YES: Founded in 1968 by Jon Anderson and Chris Squire, Grammy-award winning recording artists YES have created some of the most important and influential music in rock history, such as iconic pieces “Roundabout,” “Close to the Edge,” “I’ve Seen All Good People,” “Owner of a Lonely Heart,” and countless others. Having sold tens of millions of records over its four-decade career, Yes continues creating masterful music that inspires fans and musicians from around the world. For more information on Yes, visit yesworld.com. Join Yes on Twitter and Facebook at twitter.com/yesofficial and facebook.com/yestheband respectively.

About Vina Robles Amphitheatre Welcome to the Vina Robles Amphitheatre, where European Inspiration meets California Character and the stars always shine. Here, two of California's great compositions meet, as exceptional wine and intimate live music are paired to create an unforgettable wine country experience.

The 3,300 seat boutique amphitheatre is nestled on a picturesque, oak-dotted hillside in Paso Robles on California's Central Coast. With its opening in the summer of 2013, the Vina Robles Amphitheatre became one of the largest outdoor venues for arts and entertainment in San Luis Obispo County. Featuring a style reminiscent of the California missions, guests are able to immerse themselves in a unique and intimate concert adventure as they enjoy modern amenities and first class hospitality.

The concert season runs from May through November and features top tier acts from around the world in all genres. Various seating options all within 150 feet from the stage, including regular, VIP and general admission lawn seating, make events accessible to anyone in the community. We look forward to sharing our love of wine and the arts with you soon.